Certificate holder



Aprilso, 1940. A, COBBS 1 2,198,718

A CERTIFICATE HOLDER Filed March 6, 1939 @y1 H mm ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 30, 1940 TENT oFFicE CERTIFICATE HOLDER Ansalem Orville Cobbs, Des Moines, Iowa i Application March 6, 1939; SerialNo;

5 Claims.

The principal object of my` invention is to providean identification or certificate holder for automotive vehicles such as busses, trucks, automo-` biles and the like that is capable of being eas-ily andmquicklyattached around or detached from the steering column of such vehicle.

A further object of this invention is to provide awrap-on'certicate holder that will be successfully held in a neat and flattened condition around the steering wheelfc'olumn of an automotive vehicle.

. hicles that may be easily installed or removed A still further object of my invention is to provide an identification lor certificate holder that when once placedaround thesteering column ofan automotive vehicle will havefno objectionable outwardly extending elements, prongs, projections or liketo catch on the clothesor personof those riding in the' seating compartment of the Vehicle. i i

` A still further object of my invention is to provide a simple, visible certificate holder for ve-l without in any way damaging or marring the vehicle to which it is secured.

A still further object of my invention is to pro-i` videan identification or certificate holder that is refined in appearance, economical in manufacture, and durable in use. f

`These and `other objects will be apparent to those `skilled in the art.

invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement and combination ofthe various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth,

pointedout in my claims and` illustrated in `the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig.` `l is a top plan View of `my Certificateholder ready `foruse.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional View of the certificate holder and more fully illustrates its construction.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a section of my certicate holder case portion before complete assembly.

"Fig l is a top plan view of one of the resilient fastening straps.

Wrap-on certificate holders are not new in the .artas I` personally have had issued to me sevyeral patents in this art.

However, in many instances, these wrap-on certificate holders do not `fit neatly around the steering column of the vehicle, have objectionable hooks or protrusions `and are not economically manufactured. I have overcome such objections as hereinafter will be appreciated.

The body portion of my Certificateholder is made from a single sheet I0 of leather, imitation leather or similar flexible sheet material. The certicate housing is createdby folding the cut sheet material backover and yupon itself to produce a front Hat section! I and a back flat section I2 as shown in Fig. 2. Fig.'3 'shows the dotted line 30 on which `the 'sheet I8 is folded to create the front portion l I andthe back portion I2. The front portion has a window i3 cut out of its central area as shown in Fig. 1'. This window I3 is enclosed by a transparent sheet member I4 of Celluloid or like clear Ilexible sheet material. 'I'he numeral I5 designates a slot cut on the dotted line Bilfand near the left side of the holder' asshown in Fig. 3. 'The numeral I6 designates a similar slot openingciit in the holder on the dotted line 38 and near the right side of 'the holder. These two slot" openings I5 and I6 eX- tend longitudinally of the dotted line 3I'I and are spaced apart from each other; 'I'he numeral IIA designates an elongated strip orbar of flexible resilientmaterial such as elastic tape. This resilient flat bar I 'i rests between the upper portion I I and the lower portion l2 and protrudes through the `slot opening I5. The member Il extends longitudinally of `the holder and is located near the left sideofthe holder. The numeral I8 designates a similar elongated fiat resilient tape resting between the upper portion II and the lower portion I2 and protruding through the slot opening I8. These two members ll and I8 are parallel with each other and extend between the upper and bottom sheets ofthe holder to the other end of the holder opposite from the slot holes l5 and I8 as shown in Fig. 1. The numeral I9 designates an ordinary glove snap fastener rivet eX- tending through the back portion I2, thel member Il and the upper portion I I. The numeral 20 designates a similar glove snap fastener rivet extending through the portion I2, the member I8 and the portion Il. These rivets I9 and 20 are put into place by the usual machinery for such the strap I1. The numeral 22 designates a simi- 1 within the holder with its indicia adjacent the transparent window I4, the indicia on the certificate may be easily and quickly read through the transparent window I4. With the certificate or like in place, it is then merely necessary to ,wrap the holder around thef steering wheel col-` umn of the vehicle with the front II tothe out-` side, and pull and stretch the flexible'resilient strap bars I1 and I8 on and around the steering column and snap them in the usual manner onto.

the head portions of the member I9 and 20. With the member 2| engaging the member I9 and with the member 22 engaging the member 20,-a certificate holder will be yieldingly held on and around the steering column.l By the elastic bands I1 and I8 extending longitudinally completely across the portion I2, the entire holder will be held neatly and closely around the steering column and there will be no objectionable protrusions, hooks, springs, or like extending from the holder. In placing the certificate inside the holder, the certicate should be placed over those portions of the lengths of the straps that extend between the portions II and I2. lBy fastening the straps I1 and I8 at one end and permitting them to extend completely through the holder, the maximumr amount of length of straps may be used thereby providing a great amount of elasticity. By my construction, theresilient straps I1 and I8 completely embrace the steering wheel column of the vehicle.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved certificate holder without departing from` the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms ofstructure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a single elongated strip of lexible material doubled back upon itself near its center to form a back portion and a front portion of a certicate holder; said certificate holder having two spaced apart slot openings on its fold line between said back and front portions, two elongated exible elastic members resting between said front and. back portions and protruding from said two slot openings respectively, glove snap fastener elements for securing said back and front portions and said elongated elastic members together, and complementary glove snap fasteners on the free ends of said elongated, elastic members.

2. In a`device of the class described, a single elongated strip of flexible material doubled back upon itself near its center to form a back portion and a front portion of a certificate holder; said certificate holder having two spaced apart slot openings on its fold line between said back and said front portion, two elongated flexible resilient members resting between said front and back portions and protruding from said two slot openings respectively, glove snap fastener elements for securing said back and front portions and said elongated members together`near the free ends of said front and back portions, and complementary glove snap fasteners on the free ends of said flexible resilient members.

3. In a device of the `class described, a certiii` cate holder consisting of a back and a front portion and having an opening between its front and back portions, an elongated, fiat strip of flexible, elastic material resting between said front portion and said back portion and extending in one direction through said opening, and glove snap fastener elements for securing said back and front portions and said elongated strip. together and operatively attaching the two ends of said elongated, flat strip of flexible, elastic material together at times.

4. In` a device of ,l the class described, a single elongated strip of exlble material doubled back upon itself near its center .to form a back portion and a front portion of a certificate holder; said certificate holder having a slot opening on its fold line, an elongated, flexible elastic member resting between said front and back portions and protruding from said slot opening, a glove fastener element for securing said back and front portions and said elongated member together near the exible ends of said front and back portions, and a complementary glove snap fastener on the free end of said flexible, elastic member.

5. In a device of the class described, a single elongated strip of flexible material doubled back upon itself near its center to form a back portion and a front portion of a certicate holder; said front portion having an opening, a sheet of transparent flexible material for closing said opening, a dat elongated strip of flexible elastic material having `a portion of its length resting between said front portion and said back portion, a means for securing saidvfront and back portions together to form a pocket, a means for securing one end of said elastic strip to said certificate holder, and a means for operatively securing the two ends of said elastic strip together at times.

` ANSALEM ORVILLE COBBS. 

